Under the Tree
by george's firework
Summary: In the summer before their fifth year, Lily and Severus steal a moment under the tree in the park where they first met.


Severus leant back against the tree, quite content to have Lily propped up against him in the shade. It was the summer before their fifth year and Lily and Severus had returned to the park where they first met, just to reminisce back through the years. They had been there for an hour or so and had stopped talking about ten minutes ago because Lily had yawned and said she wanted a nap.

He studied her as she dozed off, a sweet smile on her face as she twirled a slightly battered quill in her fingers. She was dressed casually in a yellow-gold shirt with a flowery skirt which fluttered around her knees in the slight breeze that was blowing gently. There were a couple of rings on her slender fingers and two or three bangles adorning her slim wrists. They jingled slightly when she shifted her arm and he leaned closer to examine them; feeling a pang of jealously as he noticed one of them was the black and white striped bracelet James Potter had given her on Valentine's Day. What did this mean? Was she in love with him?

Severus had stiffened when these thoughts entered his head, intruding in his peaceful thoughts, but then Lily turned her head and tucked it against his shoulder. He relaxed back against the tree, inhaling deeply as her sweet-smelling hair brushed against his nose.

"Sev?" Lily mumbled and he jumped slightly, not having realised she was awake. "What do you reckon is going to happen when we go back to Hogwarts?" Her eyes were still closed and he frowned, wondering what she meant.

"Well, won't it just stay the same as usual? You and I, best friends, standing up for each other whenever the other gets teased or bullied, right? Why would that change?"

"I don't know, I just feel like something's going to happen. Plus, it's O.W.L. year so I'll be studying a lot."

"You mean, even more than usual? Lily, I'll never see you!" Severus teased and Lily let out a musical giggle. Severus smiled into her hair and took another deep breath. "Just because we have exams coming up doesn't mean we can't spend time together, Lils. It's not like they'll take over our lives completely." Lily seemed reassured by his words and snuggled back into his chest.

"I guess you're right… What's the worst that can happen?"

"Don't say that, you'll jinx it," Severus joked and Lily chuckled, and then sighed.

"Urgh, it's too hot. I am not comfortable. I wish we were allowed to do magic out of school, we'd be cooler like that." She snapped her fingers and sighed again. Severus ran his fingers gently through her hair and reached down to pull a hair band from her wrist.

"You'll be cooler if you tie your hair back," he explained when she awkwardly sent him a questioning glance. She nodded thoughtfully and lapsed into silence as he gently began to gather her long hair into a messy bun on the top of her head. He loved her hair when it was down but he loved it even more when it was up because it exposed her beautiful creamy neck.

"Are you wearing sun cream?" He asked once he had finished with her hair, alarmed she would burn her delicate skin.

"Yes, Severus," she said in the tone of speaking to one's parents when they were nagging. "Mum wouldn't let me leave the house until she had smothered me completely, even the skin that is covered with clothing is obscured by a thick layer of sun cream. I would have done it myself anyway; we both know how easily I burn." They both winced at the memory of an eight year old Lily sitting on the sofa wincing as her mother tried to rub in aloe vera as gently as she could.

"Alright, I guess I can stop with the pedantic parent act then," Severus commented, prodding her gently in the ribs where he knew she was extremely ticklish. She squealed and writhed away from him as he tickled her mercilessly.

"Stop, stop! I'll do anything, just stop!" She squeaked, tears of laughter rolling down her face as she squirmed beneath his tickling fingers.

"Anything?" Severus asked, still tickling her without abandon. She nodded, breathless, and suddenly it seemed that her face was a lot closer than it had been a few seconds ago. Severus's breath caught in his throat at the sight of her perfect lips, so full and rosy, just inches away from his own. She was gazing up at him, eyes wide. Neither of them were laughing now.

"Sev…" she whispered, her lips parting slightly. His gaze flicked up from her mouth and when their eyes met it was as if he could see right into her soul – as cheesy as that was. Severus never looked away from her eyes as he very slowly leaned closer into her. He was an inch away… a centimetre… half a centimetre… so, so close… just a millimetre closer…

"LILY? ARE YOU OUT HERE?" Petunia's shrill voice suddenly broke through the silence of the park and Severus and Lily guiltily jumped away from each other. Lily's cheeks were a similar colour to her hair as she jumped to her feet just in time before Petunia stormed around the tree and discovered them.

"What do you want, Petunia?" Severus asked with annoyance written all over his features as he glared up at her. He had been so close and she had just completely ruined what was sure to be the best moment of his life. Petunia scowled down at him, her perfectly pressed white shirt fluttering above her black skirt. Oh how he wished he could do magic right now… He'd blow her and her stupid outfit all the way back to her house.

"Tuney?" Lily prompted gently when she realised her older sister was too absorbed in her glaring match to actually answer Severus's question.

"I told you not to call me that," Petunia snapped, turning on her sister angrily. "It's lunchtime, Mum sent me out here to get you because she doubted you'd remember to feed yourself. You said you were just going for a walk, Lily! You said nothing about hanging out with… with _him_!" She pointed at Severus in angry accusation and then turned on her heel and stalked away through the dust, expecting her sister to follow her.

Lily glanced at Petunia and then turned to Severus with an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and leaned in. He perked up, thinking that perhaps he could still have that perfect moment…

"LILY!" Petunia screeched and Lily just quickly kissed his cheek and ran after her sister. Severus slumped back against the tree, cursing the day Petunia was born.


End file.
